CNC router

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jpoc

1043 posts

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#128904 27-Aug-2013 19:44

Does anyone have any experience with the CNC routers that are offered as kits or plans?

insane

3236 posts

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#885557 27-Aug-2013 21:04

Those aren't the kind of routers that most people around here will be familiar with :) .

How much can you get one for?

jpoc

1043 posts

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#885597 27-Aug-2013 22:08

insane: Those aren't the kind of routers that most people around here will be familiar with :) .

How much can you get one for?

A couple of hundred bucks for the precision mechanical bits and a set of plans

A similar amount for the stepper motors and control circuitry.

A hundred bucks for the mdf blanks to make the frames and bed.

One or two hundred for a router to bolt into the middle of the kit.

A little bit more than that if you want something big enough to mill out patterns from an 8' * 4' sheet of ply.

hellonearthisman

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#885850 28-Aug-2013 13:26

An interesting subject, I have always wanted to build a CNC machine but never had enough $$$'s to build it.

My vision would use a pencil die grinder, like a dremel but air powered and lighter.
Using a router would be a very industrial option.

Did you find any good links to plans? Instructables I think had some.

jpoc

1043 posts

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#938551 21-Nov-2013 17:05

I have started!

Last month, I bought and read the book that is the basis for the machine on the buildyourcnc site.

It is missing all kinds of useful information and I have some issues with parts of the design but there are no gaps that I cannot fill in and no flaws for which I have not designed a mod.

I bought a router today which I will use in the construction process but which will ultimately form part of the machine. The router is the cheap ozito one from bunnings which has one big advantage. The expensive routers all have groovy shaped plastic bodies to make them look exciting. The cheap one is just a metal cylinder with a power cable at one end and a spindle at the other. Of course, if comes with a separate frame with plunge facilities and the like but the key thing is that it can be used as a plain router-cylinder that I can mount in the final cnc device.

I hope to start cutting my first parts this weekend. If there is interest I will document the project here. It will not be in enough detail to build a cnc router yourself but if you bought the same book that I have then you should be in with a chance.